Rhenium-Osmium Evidence for Regional Mineralization in Southwestern North America

McCandless, Tom E.; Ruíz, Joaquin

doi:10.1126/science.261.5126.1282

Cited by 61 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 37 publications

(15 reference statements)

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“…Similarly, Stein et al (2001) found out that deposits with the mantle materials (mantle underplating, mantle metasomatism, melting of mafic or ultramafic rocks) have a higher Re content than deposits with a crustal origin. This variation has been confirmed in numerous other deposits (McCandless and Ruiz, 1993;Suzuki et al, 1996;Selby and Creaser, 2004;Zhang et al, 2004;Berzina et al, 2005).…”

Section: Re Contents and Origin Of Ore Metalssupporting

confidence: 58%

Zircon U–Pb, molybdenite Re–Os and muscovite Ar–Ar isotopic dating of the Xitian W–Sn polymetallic deposit, eastern Hunan Province, South China and its geological significance

Liang

Dong

Jiang

et al. 2016

Ore Geology Reviews

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The Xitian tungsten-tin (W-Sn) polymetallic deposit, located in eastern Hunan Province, South China, is a recently explored region containing one of the largest W-Sn deposits in the Nanling W-Sn metallogenic province. The mineral zones in this deposit comprise skarn, greisen, structurally altered rock and quartz-vein types. The deposit is mainly hosted by Devonian dolomitic limestone at the contact with the Xitian granite complex. The Xitian granite complex consists of Indosinian (Late Triassic, and Yanshanian (Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous, 165-141 Ma) granites. Zircons from two samples of the Xitian granite dated using laser ablationinductively coupled mass spectrometer (LA-ICPMS) U-Pb analysis yielded two ages of 225.6 ± 1.3 Ma and 151.8±1.4 Ma, representing the emplacement ages of two episodic intrusions of the Xitian granite complex. Molybdenites separated from ore-bearing quartz-veins yielded a Re-Os isochron age of 149.7±0.9 Ma, in excellent agreement with a weighted mean age of 150.3±0.5 Ma. Two samples of muscovites from ore-bearing greisens yielded 40 Ar/ 39 Ar plateau ages of 149.5±1.5 Ma and 149.4±1.5 Ma, respectively. These isotopic ages obtained from hydrothermal minerals are slightly younger than the zircon U-Pb age of 151.8±1.4 Ma of the Yanshanian granite in the Xitian area, indicating that the W-Sn mineralization is genetically related to the Late Jurassic magmatism. The Xitian deposit is a good example of the Early Yanshanian regional W-Sn ore-forming event (160-150 Ma) in the Nanling region. The relatively high Re contents (8.7 to 44.0 ppm, average of 30.5 ppm) in molybdenites suggest a mixture of mantle and crustal sources in the genesis of the ore-forming fluids and melts. Based upon previous geochemical studies of Early Yanshanian granite and regional geology, we argue that the Xitian W-Sn polymetallic deposit can be attributed to back-arc lithosphere extension in the region, which was probably triggered by the break-off of the flat-slab of the Palae-Pacific plate beneath the lithosphere.

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Section: Re Contents and Origin Of Ore Metalssupporting

confidence: 58%

Zircon U–Pb, molybdenite Re–Os and muscovite Ar–Ar isotopic dating of the Xitian W–Sn polymetallic deposit, eastern Hunan Province, South China and its geological significance

Liang

Dong

Jiang

et al. 2016

Ore Geology Reviews

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“…This has enormous potential for the dating of ore deposits. Initially, the method was most successful in the platinum-group element (PGE) environment where concentrations of Re and Os in sulrides and oxides are generally at the parts per billion to parts per million level (e.g., McCandless and Ruiz, 1991;Walker et al, 1991Walker et al, , 1994aWalker et al, , b, 1997 Hulbert and Gr6goire, 1993; Marcantonio et al, 1993;Lambert et al, 1994;Foster et al, 1996).…”

Section: Technical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 97%

Highly precise and accurate Re-Os ages for molybdenite from the East Qinling molybdenum belt, Shaanxi Province, China

Stein

Markey²,

Morgan³

et al. 1997

Economic Geology

352

138

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Isotope dilution with a modified alkali fusion procedure and negative thermal ion mass spectrometry yields highly precise and accurate Re-Os ages for molybdenite from two well-studied molybdenite deposits in the East Qinling molybdenum belt, China. Individual Re-Os ages carry a 2or precision of _+0.40 to 0.57 percent which includes a 0.31 percent uncertainty in the lS7Re decay constant. For the unusual carbonatite-hosted Mo-Pb deposit at Huanglongpu, the weighted average of seven analyses yields an age of 221.5 _+ 0.3 (0.15%) Ma. The weighted average of two analyses of molybdenite from a porphyry Mo deposit at Jinduicheng, about 10 km to the southwest, yields an age of 138.4 _+ 0.5 (0.39%) Ma. These data provide uncertainties an order of magnitude less than previous Re-Os ages. Molybdenite Re-Os ages are slightly older than ages obtained by other isotopic methods for genetically related host-rock and vein material. It appears that the direct dating of sulfide, rather than altered host and vein material, may be critical to acquiring the correct age for mineralization. The East Qinling molybdenum belt is part of a larger east-west-trending zone that marks the suture between two major cratonic blocks. Consequently, the belt was a site for Early-Middle Triassic compression (Indosinian orogeny) followed by Jurassic-Cretaceous extension (Yenshanian orogeny). We suggest that the Huanglongpu and Jinduicheng deposits provide an analogue for processes that may have been important ingenerating major molybdenum deposits in the Colorado mineral belt. In Colorado, Late Cretaceous (Laramide) compression-related, alkalic magmatism was followed by Tertiary (Rio Grande) extension-related, granitic magmatism and the development of major Climax-type porphyry Mo deposits. In particular, the Jinduicheng deposit appears to be a nearly perfect match for Climax-type mineralization in Colorado. In contrast, the older Huanglongpu deposit may record a mechanism whereby molybdenum is concentrated in the lower crust. In both the Qinling molybdenum belt and the Colorado mineral belt, a time gap of about 50 to 80 m.y. separates alkalic magmatism and exceptionally evolved granitic magmatism.

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“…1), although certain types of mineralisation such as volcanic massive sulphide, iron oxide and gold-quartz seem more closely associated with extensional or translational tectono-magmatic settings. Within overall igneous epochs, mineralisation may be restricted in time, as suggested by Re-Os dating of molybdenites from Arizona and Sonora (McCandless & Ruiz 1993). These multiple variations probably western US 5 -V rhyolite trend from Perry et al (1993) TJ w 0- reflect both direct igneous compositional controls and broader tectonic controls.…”

Section: Synthesis Of Temporal and Regional Patternsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Granitic magmatism and metallogeny of southwestern North America

Barton¹

1996

The Third Hutton Symposium on the Origin of Granites and Related Rocks

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In southwestern North America, late Palaeozoic through Cenozoic granitoids and their related mineral deposits show consistent patterns that can be interpreted in terms of combined provincial, exposure and process controls. Voluminous Cordilleran magmatism began in the Permian and continued with few major interruptions through the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, reaching maximum fluxes in the mid-Jurassic, Late Cretaceous and Oligocene. Two distinctive types of broad-scale igneous suites formed. The first type consists of calc-alkaline to alkaline suites that vary regularly with time from early intermediate-mafic centres to late felsic centres over intervals lasting 20-50 Ma. These suites formed during periods of stable convergence and compressional tectonics, most notably in the late Mesozoic and early-mid-Cenozoic. The second type is compositionally varied, but shows no obvious secular variation in composition. This type formed during neutral to extensional tectonics in the mid-Mesozoic and the mid-to late Cenozoic. Regional (west to east) and secular (old to young) changes from calcic to alkalic compositions do not correspond to basement types; they point to tectonic rather than crustal controls on magmatic evolution, although basement signatures are clearly transmitted in isotopic systematics. Contrasting types of intrusive centres formed in the same lithospheric columns, suggesting that variability reflects thermal and stress regimes, subcrustal magma flux and crustal thickness. Simple thermal and mechanical models of limits on assimilation and magma uprise are broadly consistent with these patterns.Igneous-related mineralisation is ubiquitous where epizonal environments are preserved, thus preservation (and exposure) form the first-order filter on metallogeny. Mineralisation includes porphyry, skarn, epithermal, replacement and syngenetic deposits of widely varying styles, metal contents and links to magmatic heat and materials. Metal contents and alteration styles correlate closely with igneous compositions and are broadly independent of setting, although systematic regional variations in metal ratios are documented. Ore element suites vary from Cu-Au-Fe associated with (quartz) dioritic to monzonitic intrusive centres through Cu-Zn-Mo-Pb-Ag-W-Au associated with broadly granodioritic centres, and finally to F-Mo-Zn-W-Ag-Be associated with metaluminous to strongly peraluminous granitic centres. A model that includes both composition and process controls rationalises this igneous correlation and the lack of strong regional control. Key features are (1) mineralogical controls on fluid compositions and (2) the efficacy of magmatic processes in producing voluminous ore-forming aqueous fluids. This interpretation is supported by field relationships, igneous petrographic and isotopic data, and theoretical considerations.

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Rhenium-Osmium Evidence for Regional Mineralization in Southwestern North America

Cited by 61 publications

References 37 publications

Zircon U–Pb, molybdenite Re–Os and muscovite Ar–Ar isotopic dating of the Xitian W–Sn polymetallic deposit, eastern Hunan Province, South China and its geological significance

Zircon U–Pb, molybdenite Re–Os and muscovite Ar–Ar isotopic dating of the Xitian W–Sn polymetallic deposit, eastern Hunan Province, South China and its geological significance

Highly precise and accurate Re-Os ages for molybdenite from the East Qinling molybdenum belt, Shaanxi Province, China

Granitic magmatism and metallogeny of southwestern North America

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